iPad2 thread

[bucwylde23]

Don't worry they will ship it out in 2 weeks, they gave me a 1 month wait time too but they shipped it out on April 1st(better not be a April fools joke from Apple) and I ordered it on March 22nd. I also got the white iPad 2 .

I hope they ship out earlier. I ordered one on 3/29, says the ship date is 4/26/11 as well.

Edit: My ship date changed by a day just a bit ago. Now it says Ships: Apr 25 Delivers: Apr 26

 

[Doboji]

I managed to waltz into a Best Buy today and walk out with a 16GB Wifi Black iPad2... I actually intended to buy a Xoom... but while I was waiting to execute the Buy-back on my Galaxy Tab, this fella walks in... says I'm upset I had wanted a 32GB 3G version... can I get my money back... I haven't even removed the plastic yet and I just picked up here this morning.

So I claimed it immediately... and got it as an open box item for 10% off... after my Tab buyback... it cost me $103.05.... sometimes things just go your way.

 

[cheez]

Don't worry they will ship it out in 2 weeks, they gave me a 1 month wait time too but they shipped it out on April 1st(better not be a April fools joke from Apple) and I ordered it on March 22nd. I also got the white iPad 2 .

That's good to hear. I just checked my order status:

IPAD WI-FI 64GB WHITE-USA
Ships: Apr 25
Delivers: Apr 27


Please keep going so my delivery date gets down to April 13 lol. Ya know, if I just went ahead and ordered it from Apple a few weeks ago I would've gotten it by now. lol.

 

[runawayprisoner]

Well, consumer reports just changed their tone and hailed the iPad 2 as the best tablet available. I'm not surprised...

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-rele...onsumer-reports-tablet-ratings-119237109.html

 

[badb0y]

A good way to know when they will ship is when they actually charge your credit card/debit card. When I first purchased the iPad 2, Apple put a hold on my credit card but they only charged me when they shipped it out.

 

[shortylickens]

Well, consumer reports just changed their tone and hailed the iPad 2 as the best tablet available. I'm not surprised...

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-rele...onsumer-reports-tablet-ratings-119237109.html

Consumer Reports sold out a long time ago. I'm not saying Apple products are shit, but if I wanted objective information about them I sure as hell wouldnt go to Consumer Reports for it.
When they talk about things like "future proofing" I know they are clueless. Modern tablets and smartphones are the least likely items to be future-proofed. Stuff changes constantly and you can never be too sure what the scene will look like 6 months from now.

 

[runawayprisoner]

Yeah, but with Apple, you can at least expect your current device to go through another major OS version and many bug fixes in between before it gets left behind the time. That at least gives it a one-year future-proof certificate.

 

[poofyhairguy]

That at least gives it a one-year future-proof certificate.

As long as your are buying that iPad 2 today.

Joe Dad buying an iPad 2 for his daughter this Christmas doesn't get that same effect.

In fact that is why I gave my wife her birthday iPad 2 a month earlier than her birthday- the way I see it the clock is ticking on that thing before its obsolete, so I wanted her to be able to maximize the time.

 

[runawayprisoner]

Well, even if you buy an iPad 1 today, it's guaranteed that it'll at least have iOS 5 sometime this year, which most likely will keep the device afloat with its siblings until iOS 6 comes out the year later.

It's feature and usage vs hardware revisions, and Apple apparently knows how to hold back just enough to make the next year an enticing but not necessary update. Given the choice, I wouldn't have updated to an iPad 2 myself until iOS 5 comes out. But alas, I pushed my iPad 1 away far too soon.

 

[poofyhairguy]

Well, even if you buy an iPad 1 today, it's guaranteed that it'll at least have iOS 5 sometime this year

Source?

 

[runawayprisoner]

Well, it's only logical for Apple to do so.

Trend of past updates aside, if the iPod Touch 4 and iPhone 4 will have iOS 5, there is no reason for Apple to ditch iPad 1.

iPad 2 would be the only device to have iOS 5 otherwise.

 

[Pliablemoose]

Consumer Reports sold out a long time ago. I'm not saying Apple products are shit, but if I wanted objective information about them I sure as hell wouldnt go to Consumer Reports for it.
When they talk about things like "future proofing" I know they are clueless. Modern tablets and smartphones are the least likely items to be future-proofed. Stuff changes constantly and you can never be too sure what the scene will look like 6 months from now.

They didn't sell out, they're just pretty clueless about tech, they said the iP4 Verizon & AT&T should be avoided because of the antenna issue, then recommended a Samsung that displays similar signal attenuation as a a recommended buy.

And honestly, they're right about the iPad, it is the best tablet on the market today. I'm not saying it can't or won't be dethroned, but today, it's a compelling device and a decent value...

Also, the iPad is changing the matrix...

http://techcrunch.com/2011/04/06/the-ipad-os-x-scrolling/

 

[bucwylde23]

FYI, macmall.com has iPad 2's in stock. I cancelled my apple order and ordered from there, should be here tomorrow.

They had 32/64 GB Verizon models in black and white available.Not sure what else they have. I bought a 32 GB one, even though I originally only wanted 16 GB.

 

[badb0y]

Just received my iPad 2 a couple of hours ago and thought I would throw up some of my first impressions of the device.

First of all it feels very solid like most of other the other products from Apple, the build quality is very nice and just what I wanted/expected. I never had iPad 1 so I don't know how I would compare them but it feels much more smoother than my iPhone 4. everything is a lot more fluid and feels very polished.

I already got my apps and stuff synced up so it was ready to go in like 5 minutes and I have been using it ever since. Apparently my iPad came with 90% battery and I have been using it for a while doing various things like web browsing, browsing the app store, watching YouTube videos, and studying for my test(loaded up all the PDFs using dropbox) and it has only gone down to 70% as I type this now.

My only concerns right now are to get a case(Don't want to mess up the now shiny iPad) and the volume rocker. The rocker doesn't seem all that sturdy to me and feels like it's made of plastic but that's a small issue for now. Will post more as I go along.

 

[Pliablemoose]

FYI, macmall.com has iPad 2's in stock. I cancelled my apple order and ordered from there, should be here tomorrow.

They had 32/64 GB Verizon models in black and white available.Not sure what else they have. I bought a 32 GB one, even though I originally only wanted 16 GB.

I called at noon PST and they still had some in stock, all white, 32/64GB WiFi and 32/64GB Verizon models.

I don't want a white one, and the tax/shipping would have killed the profit margin to resell it... The CSR was sort of pushy and I got irritated with her and finally said no after about 5 minutes trying to get a straight answer out of her, she kept trying to upsell me on an extended warranty and overnight shipping.

Will just wait on the ones I have ordered from J&R & Apple.

 

[cheez]

UPDATE: Got a call from apple store yesterday and said that the ipad2 white 64gb wifi is available for me to pickup So I got it and cancelled my order.

Yay.:biggrin:

I loaded the HD videos in my iPad2.

Initial Impression on video:

- It's crisp.
- It's sharp.
- It's bright as hell. I lowered the brightness, so it's good now.
- Impressive black levels.
- Motion handling is very good. It does not stutter or blur when the objects are in motion like the iPod Touch does. So the images are more defined and look more authentic.


PROBLEM: During playback the videos don't seem to have calibration applied. It's like "raw". Because of this, the pictures look grainy. Too much brightness and lacking contrast. Apparently the ipad2 only offers brightness setting, nothing else. I need to be able to adjust contrast setting so I can calibrate the video. The image looks almost flat, no sense of depth. Does Apple provide an app that you can modify the video settings? My HTPC w/ 6 year old plasma blows the crap out of the water. It's a night and day difference. Anyone knows or has info on this? I know the device is more than capable of delivering it. It's like holding back because of the lack of calibration settings.


Thank you,

 

[badb0y]

Alright so 24 hours have passed and now I think I have a better feel of the device.

I can safely say it has replaced my laptop, I never used my laptop from productivity anyways so that's no surprise. The battery life is amazing which is one of my biggest gripes with laptops/smartphones. I can continuously use the iPad without having to worry about plugging it into the wall. I downloaded oPlayer and now I can stream videos from Megaupload so that was a huge discovery for me and I can study/browse/read on this thing anywhere because it's so light. Also I tethered it to my iPhone 4 for 3G anywhere .

I think this is 544$ well spent if anyone is on the fence about the iPad 2 you should buy one and by the way this is coming from a Windows guy .

 

[runawayprisoner]

New Pogo Sketch stylus came in today, and finally work allowed some breathing room for gadget enjoyment!

Brief: it's easier to write with than last year's Pogo Sketch, and obviously a lot easier to write with than other styli thanks to its thin profile. The tip got a bit longer. Not noticeably so, but it makes touches lighter than the last Pogo Sketch. Now it's on par with the most responsive styli out there, which is a welcome change because the thin tip is a crucial feature!

Pros: light, thin, long, solid, classy look, plastic clip, especially small tip compared to most, conceivably the thinnest capacitive stylus on the market.

Cons: none!

Note: the tip of the stylus at its fattest point is as wide as the letter "O" on the landscape keyboard in case anyone is wondering how small it is. The actual tip that touches the screen is about as big as the refresh/cancel button in Mobile Safari.

 

[cheez]

^ Interesting product! I never seen or tried a such device. Will it cause any ill effect on the ipad screen? I heard that the ipad/ipad 2 is made of gorilla glass or something. I can't seem to scratch my ipad 2 screen with my fingers.

I'm interested in this product as I am tired of leaving finger prints on my screen. Is this what Pogo Sketch stylus pen is for?


p.s. I bought an iPad case. I am in love with this thing.

 

[drizek]

Thats the wrong case. It is made for the iPad 1.

 

[cheez]

^ I noticed that. It still fits quite well. I wanted something that protects the pad all around.

 

[runawayprisoner]

^ Interesting product! I never seen or tried a such device. Will it cause any ill effect on the ipad screen? I heard that the ipad/ipad 2 is made of gorilla glass or something. I can't seem to scratch my ipad 2 screen with my fingers.

I'm interested in this product as I am tired of leaving finger prints on my screen. Is this what Pogo Sketch stylus pen is for?

Well, no effect on the screen. It does have a bit of friction, but don't let that fool you. My iPad 1 could only be scratched by certain types of metal. And yes, I tried.

But I don't think you can go and use the iPad just with a single pen. You'll find yourself touching the screen again and again on occasions, because it's just faster that way. Pinch to zoom, drag and scroll pages, and tapping are much easier with your finger than with a pen. The pen is really only useful when you have to take notes, doodle stuffs, or make annotations.

 

[Imp]

^ I noticed that. It still fits quite well. I wanted something that protects the pad all around.

As long as you don't plan on using the camera?

The case is nice, but it's $45 retail where I am. I've heard of people getting it for $15 when they bought it along with their iPad 1.

 

[Pliablemoose]

My 16GB black ATT 3G finally shipped. I have the original unlimited data plan from my gen 1 iPad.

Honestly, if Netflix would get off it ass or high horse or whatever and release an app for Android, I'd get a XOOM or something else.

Looks like another year with an iPad for me.

 

[cheez]

More impression about iPad 2 from me:

Sound:

Similar to what runawayprisoner has described, it does have more cooler signature. The setting for setting, the treble department is more live. It also sounds more "spacious" than the sound generated from iPod/iPhone 4 gen devices. I really like this spacious sound as well as the slightly increased echo sound.


Back to Video quality:

Due to the lack of contrast video setting for playback, it doesn't have as much depth as I would like it to be. But still, the video displayed on the iPad 2 is very impressive. They look smooth and yet still bit sharp. There is no color bending of any sort. It's smooth as butter. The trick for me was to lower the brightness setting anywhere from 20~ 25%. 50% was just too excessive, for any indoor lighting conditions. Brightness at 50% or more introduced a bit of picture grain and noise, and also hurt black levels, such as dark scenes in the video and the black bars top and bottom of the screen.


Physical Characteristics:

I find its design beautiful. I do like the fact that the top side is entirely covered with glass. White bezel, which I'm glad I got, also sits underneath the glass.


Weight:

It's too heavy. :| Before I got the device I was expecting about one half of the weight. Maybe I was expecting too much? I guess that glass and battery is taking up most of the weight.


Nevertheless, cheez loves iPad 2 a lot.